Elevated levels of lead found downwind from Eaton Fire burn area

Soil samples taken in and around the Eaton Fire burn area show elevated levels of lead downwind, public health officials announced Friday, prompting calls for concerned residents whose properties were affected by the January firestorm to consider getting their own testing done.

Lead exposure poses serious health risks, particularly for children. It has the potential to cause behavioral and learning problems. Headaches, hearing problems, memory problems, seizures and death have also been associated with exposure.

The samples were taken in early March across 780 parcels in and around the Eaton and Palisades fire burn areas. L.A. Department of Public Health officials said they tested for heavy metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and dioxins — which are commonly associated with wildfires — including on parcels with little to no damage, and with no planned cleanup activity. The tests were limited to 1 mile south of the burn areas.

A map of parcels tested for heavy metals, including lead, in and around the Eaton Fire burn area. The darker colored squares indicate a greater number of lead tests that exceeded regulatory screening levels.

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Los Angeles Department of Public Health

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Overall, the elevated lead levels are an unsurprising result given the age of the housing stock and the prevalence of lead-based paint, according to Adam Love, vice president with Roux, the company contracted by L.A. County to perform the soil testing.

Elevated lead levels in soil also aren’t uncommon across L.A. due to a long history of industrial activity, as well as the use of lead-based fuels and paints.

“We didn't see any impacts from any of the other chemicals really anywhere across the Eaton Fire area,” Love said.

That was the case for the Palisades burn area as well.

Testing found elevated levels of arsenic and benzo[a]pyrene, which forms when organic matter burns. However, the concerning findings were concentrated to a limited area and will require additional followup to determine if they're wildfire related.

Residents should consider getting their own soil tests done, said Nichole Quick,  chief medical advisor with LADPH. It’s then that they can decide what sorts of remediation they might want to take. That could include soil removal or laying down something like mulch or gravel to cover it up.

LADPH still has a health advisory in place for those located within 250 yards of fire ash and debris that are being cleaned up, warning that exposure to dust from the properties may lead to both short- and long-term health problems.

L.A. County is offering free blood lead testing for those concerned. And you can see additional maps from LADPH's testing here.